Justin Lofton

RACE REPORTS
Goess, George caught up in short track troubles

Salem, IN (September 19, 2009) --Justin Lofton drove to the ARCA RE/MAX Series race win on Saturday night at the Salem Speedway. The win rocketed Lofton back into the points lead, 25 points over second place Parker Kligerman. Lofton and Kligerman battled intensely over the final 15 laps with Lofton prevailing for his sixth race win of the season behind the wheel of the No. 6 Eddie Sharp Racing, Lofton Cattle sponsored Toyota.

"It feels so good to win here at Salem. I really like this track. It is so unique and it's awesome to say I won here. This means so much to all of my guys at Eddie Sharp Racing. They've put in long hours and they're really working hard to give me everything I need with the car to go out there and win and go after this championship," Lofton said.

Lofton started second for the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA Fall Classic with ESR teammate Craig Goess following right behind in third in the No. 81 Greenville Toyota of N.C. Toyota. The third ESR entry driven by Tim George Jr. qualified 15th.

Lofton quickly took advantage of his starting spot, grabbing the lead shortly after the drop of the green flag. He dominated the first portion of the race, through a caution flag on lap 57.

Goess and George came together

While Lofton set the pace, Goess maintained his position within the top 10. Lapped traffic however ended his charge after contact left the No. 81 with heavy front-end damage. Unfortunately, teammate George Jr. got tangled in the melee, leaving two of ESR's three entries with damage.

"He (the lapped car) came up towards the wall like he didn't even know I was there. It tore the nose off of the car and that was that," Goess said. Goess's night was cut short with heavy front-end damage, including a broken radiator. George Jr.'s No. 2 Ruby Tuesday team got his machine back on track but his night also ended laps later after another run-in with lapped traffic on the tight-quartered half-mile short track.

Tim George, Jr.

"Short track racing is a lot about being at the right place at the right time. It looked like they (the lapped car and Goess) got hooked together, and I couldn't get slowed down soon enough. We made repairs, and were out running competitive times again. Unfortunately, a lapped car got into the back of me and that was the end of our day," George Jr. said.

George Jr. finished 22nd and Goess 23rd.

Under the caution flag brought out following the initial accident with his ESR teammates, Lofton led the remaining lead lap cars down pitroad for a round of pitstops on lap 62. His Mark Rette-led pit crew took on right side tires only.

Lofton got back on track, maintaining the lead through lap 137.

The second round of stops fell just after another caution on lap 168. This time, Lofton was able to take on four fresh tires for the final stretch to the finish.

Craig Goess, Jr.

He started second for the restart behind then leader Joey Coulter. Coulter however, slid high while trying to fend off the challenges from the dominant Lofton. Lofton drove by on the inside and held the lead to the finish.

The final 15 laps however, were far from easy. Lofton was up on the wheel lap after lap, holding off Kligerman as the two battled not only for the win, but for points towards the intense points championship battle.

Lofton prevailed, picking up 25 points over Kligerman with two races remaining.

In all, Lofton dominated in the No. 6 Lofton Cattle Toyota, setting the pace for 161 of the 200 laps. His blistering pace lapped the field, with Kligerman the only exception.

Team ESR will next hit the track on Thursday, October 1st at Kansas Speedway.

Justin Lofton

DRIVER REPORT

No. 6 Lofton Cattle Toyota

Lofton leads the way to sixth race win, points lead at Salem

Salem, IN (September 19, 2009) --It was a familiar scene for Justin Lofton on Saturday night at Salem Speedway. The 23-year-old Lofton dominated the event, leading 161 of the 200 laps and ended the night in victory lane. The win was the sixth of the season for Lofton and padded his lead in the point standings by 25 points over Parker Kligerman with just two races remaining in the 2009 season.

Lofton and Kligerman, who entered the race tied for first place in the point standings, put on quite a show in the closing laps, as the two battled nose to tail following a restart just 15 laps from the finish. Looking for an advantage, Kligerman pulled to the inside of Lofton numerous times but was unable to complete the pass as Lofton's No. 6 Lofton Cattle Toyota muscled by on the outside.

"It was an absolute blast. He's a first class racer and we want to put on a good show and race for this championship the right way, by earning it, not by taking it," Lofton said.

"It feels so good to win here at Salem. I really like this track. It is so unique and it's awesome to say I won here. This means so much to all of my guys at Eddie Sharp Racing. They've put in long hours and they're really working hard to give me everything I need with the car to go out there and win and go after this championship."

Initially, Lofton started on the outside of row one in the second starting position. At the start, he was able to use the outside lane to his advantage, grabbing the lead from pole-sitter Chris Buescher. Lofton's white No. 6 Toyota maintained his now familiar place in front of the field, pacing the next 136 laps.

Tim George, Jr

DRIVER REPORT

No. 2 Ruby Tuesday Toyota

Short track drama for George

Salem, IN (September 19, 2009) --With so many cars packed together on a half-mile bullring, racing on a short track can sometimes be a bigger gamble than hitting the slot machines in Las Vegas. Saturday night's Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA Fall Classic 200 at Salem Speedway proved that to be true with only two cars ending the race on the lead lap. On track incidents eliminated much of the competition, including two separate run-ins with lapped traffic for Tim George Jr.

George Jr., driving the No. 2 Ruby Tuesday Toyota, entered the 200-lap event on the .555-mile track with momentum riding high following a top five finish the last time out on the road course in New Jersey. He and his Jon Wolfe-led pit crew looked to Salem to continue their climb and the team proved to be well on their way after qualifying 15th for the start of the race.

"We had a pretty good run in qualifying going, and should have been in the top 10. I got loose coming to the white flag and that was the lap, but it was still good enough for 15th," George Jr. said of his run.

Shortly after the green flag fell on the race however, the racing intensified with the leader quickly lapping cars. As George Jr. dug in and looked to maneuver his way through the traffic, his Eddie Sharp Racing teammate Craig Goess and another car got together. With nowhere to go on the track in order to evade the melee, George Jr.'s Toyota was also caught up in the wreck.

The team made repairs to the damaged Ruby Tuesday sponsored machine but once back on track, trouble again found the determined George Jr.

"The car was okay in the race, but a little tight off of turn 2. Short track racing is a lot about being at the right place at the right time. I was behind my teammate Craig and he got into our old teammate Steve [Arpin]. It looked like they both got hooked together, and I couldn't get slowed down soon enough. We made repairs, and were out running competitive times again. Unfortunately, a lapped car got into the back of me and that was the end of our day," added George Jr.

At the end of the 200-lap race, George Jr. was shown in the 22nd position.

Craig Goess, Jr

DRIVER REPORT

No. 81 Greenville Toyota of N.C. Toyota

Another Strong ARCA Start at Salem Ends Early For Goess

Salem, IN (September 19, 2009) --When it comes to qualifying at Salem Speedway (IN), Craig Goess has that skill down pat. Earlier this season, Goess qualified his #81 Greenville Toyota Camry second in the ARCA RE/MAX Series event at the track, only to have a tire failure drop him out of a shot for a solid finish.

This past Saturday, Goess returned to the Indiana track with the ARCA RE/MAX Series, and once again had a solid qualifying effort, starting the race in the third position, but contact with another car damaged the front of his machine, punching a hole in the radiator, causing the car to overheat and Goess to park the car with a disappointing 23rd-place finish.

"The car wasn't that good and we worked on it really hard during practice and got it a lot better than when we unloaded," said Goess. "We qualified well and I think we would have been good on a long run. We just went to go by a lapped car on the outside, following a car in front of us, and I guess the lapped car's spotter didn't tell him we were there because he just came up right into us across our hood going into one like he didn't even know we were there. That pretty much ended our day after the heavy front end damage, so it was kind of a disappointing weekend."

With a few weeks off until the next ARCA RE/MAX Series event in Kansas, Goess will spend the off time back at the track, testing for the final race of the 2009 season, held at Rockingham Speedway (NC).

"We're going to go test at Rockingham on Wednesday and see if we can learn a little something out there and get a little better than we were when we were there in the spring."

QUALIFYING UPDATE
LOFTON, GOESS START SECOND AND THIRD; GEORGE -15th

Salem, IN (September 19, 2009) --The Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA Fall Classic 200, race 19 of 21, rolls off at 7:15 p.m. on Saturday, September 19. Live timing and scoring, live audio and live video of all on-track activity at Salem will be available at http://www.arcaracing.com/.

PRACTICE UPDATE
Lofton Second in Practice. Goess -5th; George -19th

Salem, IN (September 19, 2009) --Eddie Sharp Racing's Justin Lofton, in the No. 6 Lofton Cattle Toyota, was second overall with a 17.410 second/114.808 mph lap late during the practice session, followed by Frank Kimmel in the No. 44 Ansell-Menards Ford (17.500 seconds/114.171 mph), Parker Kligerman in the No. 77 Cunningham Motorsports Dodge (17.521 seconds/114.035 mph) and Craig Goess in the No. 81 Greenville Toyota of NC Toyota (17.576 seconds/113.678 mph).

Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell rolls off at 4 p.m. The Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA Fall Classic 200, race 19 of 21, rolls off at 7:15 p.m. on Saturday, September 19. Live timing and scoring, live audio and live video of all on-track activity at Salem will be available at http://www.arcaracing.com/.

DRIVER PREVIEW
Salem short track welcome stop for Lofton

Justin Lofton

Denver, NC (September 16, 2009) --The ARCA RE/MAX Series returns to Salem Speedway this Saturday for the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA Fall Classic 200. But it's far from just another race. With only three races remaining on the 2009 schedule, Justin Lofton is planning on the 200-lap event providing him with a return to victory lane and the sole titleholder of points leader.

"Salem is a big race for us. We ran well there earlier in the year but pit strategy and tire wear got us in the end. We're not going to Salem to finish second again," Lofton said.

During the tour's first visit to the .555-mile Indiana track, Lofton paced practice, claimed the pole, led 105 of the 200 laps and finished second.

The last time Lofton entered a race weekend with the mindset of winning, it paid off, improving his previous finish of second at Toledo with the win. In fact, if the past is any indicator of what's to come, Lofton and the No. 6 Eddie Sharp Racing crew will be taking the same car that led him to recent victories at other short tracks, Berlin and Toledo.

"I love this car. I love Salem. Those two things give us so much confidence heading into the race weekend. Salem is so different than a lot of the other tracks on the schedule. It's what true short track racing is all about. It's gritty. It's tight. It's a challenge at times. You have to be on your toes and really race not just the other cars, but the track too. I'm excited about this one," he added.

SALEM PREVIEW
Team ESR Salem Speedway Notes

Last race review: Last weekend the ARCA RE/MAX Series made left and right turns on the road course in New Jersey. Tim George Jr., a graduate of the Grand Am Series and former winner at New Jersey Motorsports Park, finished a career-best fifth. He led the way for all of Team ESR within the top 10. Teammate Justin Lofton, who is tied in a dead heat over the points lead, finished sixth and Craig Goess finished 10th.

Last Salem stop: The ESR drivers put on quite a show at Salem Speedway during their first stop in April. Justin Lofton paced practice, scored the pole and led the way during the race for 105 laps of the 200 and finished second. Teammate Craig Goess started alongside Lofton on row one in the second spot. Unfortunately, a blown tire ruined his efforts, dropping him to 15th at the finish. Tim George Jr. got caught up in an accident and finished 24th.

Listen in: On the heels of his first top five last weekend at New Jersey, Tim George Jr. was a special guest on two radio shows this week, Pit Row Radio Show and RaceTalkRadio.com. To listen to George Jr.'s interview, which touched on numerous topics spanning his season, his hobbies and his plans for next year, check out the archives on RaceTalkRadio.com

Meet the ESR drivers: Fans attending the Salem event can meet the Team ESR drivers before the start of the race. Fans will have a half hour before the race to mingle with the racers on pitroad. Get an autograph, take a photo and wish them luck!

What they're saying:
	No. 81 Greenville Toyota of N.C. Toyota "Now the next three are normal racetracks. We're done with dirt. We're done with road courses. I liked Salem. In the spring, we were running inside the top five, blew a right front and destroyed the car. We've had atrocious luck this year. The track is different, with the line washing up right against the wall. The track has a lot of dumps, a lot of character. You have to be on the wheel all of the time."
	No. 6 Lofton Cattle Toyota "I love this car. I love Salem. Those two things give us so much confidence heading into the race weekend. Salem is so different than a lot of the other tracks on the schedule. It's what true short track racing is all about. It's gritty. It's tight. It's a challenge at times. You have to be on your toes and really race not just the other cars, but the track too. I'm excited about this one."
	No. 2 Ruby Tuesday Toyota "I'm looking forward to taking the momentum from New Jersey and keeping everyone at ESR in good spirits headed into the last few races of the season."

SALEM SPEEDWAY
Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA Fall Classic

Salem Speedway Full of History, Tradition

Denver, NC (September 16, 2009) --The ARCA RE/MAX Series returns to its short track roots on September 19 for the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA Fall Classic at Salem Speedway in Salem, Indiana. The high-banked half-mile has been a legendary and classic staple on the schedule since the first race there in 1955, when the touring stock car series was known as MARC.

Outside of some occasional downtime when the track changed ownership, the series has been a staple at Salem since 1955. In fact, no track has appeared more on the ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule over the years than Salem.

It resembles Bristol; probably acts more like Darlington, but it is markedly Salem. And when the night lights shine down upon the ARCA RE/MAX Series modern-day gladiators, race fans are in for a treat when the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA Fall Classic 200 rolls out Saturday night, September 19th at Salem Speedway.

Rough and abrasive, the track surface on the historic Salem high-banks is certainly not for the timid or weak at heart. It's a 200-lap wrestling match with an old, quirky oval set in her ways. It's as intimidating as it gets for drivers, espe

TRACK FACTS
SALEM SPEEDWAY
Location	Salem, Indiana
Address	2729 W State Road 56, Salem, IN
Phone:	(812) 883-6504
Length	.555-mile paved
Turns	33 degrees banking
First ARCA Race	1955
EVENT SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19th
1:05-2:35 PM	ARCA RE/MAX Series Practice
4:00 PM	Pole Qualifying (All Positions / 2 laps
7:15 PM	ARCA RE/MAX Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA Fall Classic (150 miles/67 laps)

All on-track activity from Salem will be featured live in streaming video and audio at ARCAracing.com.